Soccer: Fifa set to extend de Boer ban worldwide

Fifa have said they will extend Dutch captain Frank de Boer's one-year European ban across the world.

A worldwide ban keep him out of Holland's remaining World Cup qualifiers and next year's finals.

Fifa spokesman Andreas Herren said the world soccer body would enforce the sanction as soon as it received official notification from Uefa.

On Thursday, Uefa banned de Boer for 12 months for testing positive for the banned steroid nandrolone in a match in March.

De Boer has protested his innocence, saying he may have unwittingly consumed the drug in a food supplement.

The European authority is in the process of sending de Boer and his lawyers a written explanation for ban, which came into force immediately, said Uefa spokesman Mike Lee. De Boer will then have three days to appeal.

"This is a heavy blow, but I will fight to the bitter end to prove my innocence," de Boer said in a statement posted on the Dutch team's web site.

"I am eager to get back on the field after three weeks of vacation, I don't even want to think about not playing for a year," he added.

If Uefa rejects the appeal, de Boer will be banned until June 13, 2002, missing all the remaining qualifiers. Next year's World Cup in Japan and South Korea takes place May 31 to June 30.

De Boer's absence would be a bitter blow for the Dutch squad, which is already reeling from the loss of midfielder Edgar Davids, also suspended for using nandrolone.